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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lean · cell · bank · fine · deal · chair · cue · pit

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bank — for money
  7. pit — in a race
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. lean — to bend
  10. fine — all right
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cell — in biology
  13. bank — for money
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bank — of a river
  16. lean — thin
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. pit — a hole
  19. deal — to handle
  20. cue — for pool
  21. fine — high quality
  22. chair — a leader
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. cell — a phone

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com